Two months after the Sandy Hook massacre, America is embroiled in a fierce debate about guns. But apart from a few shell-shocked comments to news media, most Americans have not heard directly from those whose voices may matter most—parents of the deceased children, and educators, first responders, and doctors who confronted the horror that day. On January 30 at Newtown High School, the devastated community testified for six hours before Connecticut state leaders: A mother explaining what her surviving daughter endured. An EMT describing the damage inflicted by a Bushmaster AR-15 rifle. An ER doctor pleading to tell his patients about the health risks of guns. A father recalling “the longest two hours of my life.” Here we’ve assembled a short compilation of powerful moments from the hearing:

More: WATCH: Newtown Parents Speak Out